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PRESS CONFERENCE: Anand Grover, The UN Special Rapporteur

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Thursday, March 20, 2014, 10:30 - 11:30

Fukushima and Public HealthAnand GroverThe UN Special RapporteurLanguage: The speech and Q & A will be in English

Three years since the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster began, debate still continues about its impact. The government has promised lifelong health checks for 360,000 people under-18 on March 11, 2011. The latest results of these checks have confirmed 33 cases of thyroid cancer.

Nevertheless, the right to health of Fukushima's children and the rest of the affected population has been followed with "insufficient measurements" and policies that have "delayed the recovery and worsened human rights violations, " says Human Rights Watch, the international NGO.

The watchdog has invited UN Special Rapporteur Anand Grover to discuss these issues in Japan. In November 2012, Grover conducted an independent investigation into post-disaster health issues, including availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of health services, goods and facilities.

Part of his remit was to look at the Tohoku disaster, the events leading to it - including the emergency response - as well as lessons learned. During his mission to Japan he met local citizens, government officials and NGOs. His report on his findings was submitted to the Human Rights Council in May 2013, and was reported to the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly in New York in October 2013.

Anand has agreed to come to the FCCJ and discuss his findings, and give his advice on how Japan should tackle what he calls "serious challenges" in monitoring the impact of Fukushima on human health.

Grover was appointed by the UN Human Right Council in June 2008. He is the UN Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. The position is honorary and he is not a member of the United Nations nor is he paid for his work. He is also a practicing attorney in the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court of India.

Please reserve in advance, 3211-3161 or on the website (still & TV cameras inclusive). Reservations and cancellations are not complete without confirmation.